How long to let a very over grazed pasture sit?

[paulsharvey]

I got an email from University of FLa that they received my sample Friday, morning so hopefully Monday or Tuesday, I'll have some results.

In the mean time, I've been clearing some of the small trash trees, 3-5" dead standing water oaks, all of the scrub oaks that I could easily get too, and some large dead standing long leaf pines. I initially made one large pile, but didn't want to light it up, so I started picking though it and burning a smaller, more contained pile.

What's the general thought on brush pile burns; do yall bury your ash, spread it around, leave a small isolated pile?

 

[paulsharvey]

OSHA rated safety crocs left in 2wd this evening

 

[Yander]

Current plan is two steers to start, going upto possibly 4 in next 3 years; but I might hold off for a bit. The current owner has goats and a donkey on it. I kinda think they under hayed, and the animals ate everything that was even a little green.


Also bounced around the idea of doing meat sheep, a hair breed, but honestly wife doesn't much like lamb meat, and I don't want pasture pets.

The guys who do regenerative agriculture would tell you get get hoofs on it now. Feed rolled out bales of hay to suppliment feed until the pasture regenerates. I'm no expert at all just want to do it eventually and have watched some of the experts.

The seed from the hay will also help regenerat the pasture. The manure will also help it. Two cows is too many at first I think, you will need to be feeding hay.

 

[Yander]

This is one of the experts I'm referring to. This guys is one of the notables in regenerative ag.

 

[WinterDeere]

What's the general thought on brush pile burns; do yall bury your ash, spread it around, leave a small isolated pile?

I usually have a large pile of topsoil, that I'm always adding to or taking from, and my ash gets dumped on this pile. I always try to turn and mix the pile as I'm pulling from it.

I don't actually know if this is a good practice, if you really want ash in your topsoil, but it's an easy way to get rid of the stuff and it seems to help with drainage and moisture retention in our high-clay soil.

 

[paulsharvey]

This is one of the experts I'm referring to. This guys is one of the notables in regenerative ag.

I did watch a fair number of his videos. I'm onboard with much of his general ideas/concepts to a degree; but I'm not down for twice daily moves, or even daily moves. I could see once ever two weeks rotating; cycling 3 fields as being pretty workable. He also makes some good points on fencing solutions.

I do think some of the ultra roational guys, grass feed only guys, and regenative guys can be a bit preachy though. As in, there is a lot of middle between twice daily moves, mob grazing, and a single 40 acre piece and no movement/rest/rotation. Ita kinda like the "I will never spray" and I always spray everything groups; or exclusively grass feed/grass finished vs grain finished; and IMO, the middle is often best.

 

[Rockbadchild]

ash is actually a good fertilizer, yes spread it.. we have some power plants in my area where they take natural gas to ignite wood scraps to runs their broiler and make electricity so we can get free (only have to pay delivery) ashes and farmers used it to save on fertilizer.

 

[paulsharvey]

On site development, normally 10-40 acre, either commercial or apartment development, we always buried the ash, but I knew old times spread it. Just wasn't sure what people prefer now as "best practice"

 

[Rockbadchild]

One site development, normally 10-40 acre, either commercial or apartment development, we always buried the ash, but I knew old times spread it. Just wasn't sure what people prefer now as "best practice"

Lots of folks mix it and spread it with their manure, it need to be spread pretty thin. Obviously one need to make sure there is no nails or what ever else in it.

 

[WinterDeere]

ash is actually a good fertilizer, yes spread it.. we have some power plants in my area where they take natural gas to ignite wood scraps to runs their broiler and make electricity so we can get free (only have to pay delivery) ashes and farmers used it to save on fertilizer.


View attachment 1296711

Thanks for posting the numbers, that's very useful, but I really wouldn't call that a good profile. Extremely low on N and P, and with way too much Ca. The only thing you can say really good about it is that it might be a decent substitute for calcium (pH adjust) and it has reasonable Potassium (K).

It has a pH around 10 - 12, which if you're planting base-loving plants in high-acid soil might be great. But if you already have your soil near target pH, that high Ca% is going to drag you high. And definitely don't use it around most evergreens, it wouldn't be good at all for them.

I mix it in with my topsoil because it's an easy way to get rid of ash (we heat our home with wood), and because our soil is too high in clay, so anything that breaks that up and offers a bit is mechanically good (drainage, moisture). But I don't think it has a particularly good fertilizer profile, and definitely wouldn't be thinking of it first for that purpose.